Point-finder system.



; A. E; LUNDELL.

POINT FINDER SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28. i914.

1,210,505. Patented Jan. 2,1917.

Vl/fihesses: Int/enrol:

m A/ben E. Lunde/l nus co rnomuma. vlmmcmn, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

LBEN E.- IAUNDELL; OF W Y RK, N. Y., assrqnon, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro wnsrnn ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, A CORPOIBATION OF NEW YORK.

POINT-FINDER SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters I atent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Application filed November 28, 1914. Serial No. 874,419.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBEN E. LUNDELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented certain new and, useful Improvements in Point-Finder Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to point finder systems, and is especially applicable to keyboard controllers for semi-automatic telephone exchanges. As applied to a telephone exchange, its object is to permit the automatic registration of the naught point Ol' points of the controller mechanism without requiring the depression of the. naught key. or keys.

A known arran ement for keyboard controllers is one in which there is provided a series or'a plurality of series of keys, each series representing the numerals 1 to 9 and naught. A start key is sometimes used in conjunction with the main controller keys. The opera tor writes down the number of a wanted line by depressing one key in each series thus recording say the thousands, the hundreds, the tens and the. units designations of the number of that line, and then depresses the start key which causes point finder mechanism called registers, to advance, from any position or: positions its elements had happened to have been left in after a. previous operation, to the point or points determined by the depressed keys, The point finder mechanism is thus caused to register the desired number, and thereupon may be used to control the operation of automatic switches for connecting the calling line to the wanted line. As soon as one call is thus registered, the keys are available in conjunction with another point finder register for another call. Heretofore it has been necessary in such keyboard controller systems for the operator to depress one key in each series even though the number to be written down comprises fewer than the maximum number of numerals for the line numbers of the system. For example, in a ten thousand line telephone exchange system, wherein the line numbers are 0 to 99-99, the maximum number of numerals per line number is four. Now assuming the number of a line wanted in such a system to be, say

7, heorem-9r .reqsired to epress th naught thousands and the naught hundreds keys as well asthe No. 2 tens and No, 7 units keys just as though the number were 0027this in order that the complete operation of the switching apparatus, which requires in every case. four distinct directive movements, will be effected.

According to this invention the registration by the point finder of a special one of the point indications of any series, such as the naught indication, may be effected without the necessity of the operator pressing the special key of that series. For this purpose a connection is provided from some part of the point finder controlling mechanism, such as the start key, to the special point of that series, or to the several special points in the several series, and this connection is rendered effective when and only when no general or numeral key of the series is depressed.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings inpwhich,

Figure 1 is 2,1- diagram of circuits of a point finder system suitable for the keyboard controller of a ten-thousand line semiautomatic telephone exchange, and Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryperspective view of a key structure suitable for carrying out this invention.

In Fig. 1 are shown four series of ten keys each: 1, the thousands; 2, the hundreds; 3, the tens; and 4:, the units, each series including nine numeral keys, 1 to 9 and a tenth or naught key. A common normally closed contact 5, one for each series, is adapted to be opened upon the. depression of any numeral or the naught key in line with it. This common contact 5 is shown in Fig. 2 as operated by a mechanical latch plate 20 which is also, preferably made to cooperate with the latch 21 of any key plunger 22, so

that any key depressed remains in depressed position until released by the actuation of another key in the row or by the retraction of the latch plate 20 under the control of a common releasing magnet 6.

Associated with each series of keys is a point finder register comprising an electromagnetic clutch 7 and a series of contactpoints 1 to 9. and naught, adapted to be brought into connection successively by meha i a Po er nder he lu ch. i r

with a conductor leading to a test relay 8. A master contact 9 of the point finder mechanism is closed in circuit with the clutch magnet 7 as, the movable element is passing points intermediate the regular stopping positions as determined by the successive closure of the points 0 to 9 inclusive.

A starting key 11, when depressed, closes a circuit for a relay 12 which controls two contacts, one 13 leading to a wire 14 having a branch at each series of keys leading through the contact 5 to the naught point of the point finder associated therewith. The other contact 15, controlled by the relay 12, provides a path for current through the clutch magnets 7 of each of the four point finders. This circuit may be traced to any point finder as follows: ground, 15, 16, 7, battery.

Theoperation of the system is as follows: An operator desiring to register any number in a ten-thousand line system, depresses one of the ten keys in one or more of the four series of keys, 1, 2, 3 and 4. If the number is rhade up of four numerals, such as'23 15, the No. 2 thousands key, the No; 3 hundredskey, the N o. 1 tens key and the No. 5 units key would be depressed. It will be noted that in such case each of the common contacts, 5 is opened. Then, upon the depression of the start key 11 the consequent closing of relay contact 13 will have noeflect upon the point finders. The closing of the contact 15, however, causes the energization of the clutch magnets 7 of each of the point finders, so that they are caused to .be driven each to a point corresponding to the number of the'key depressed in the series of keys associated with it. 'Should, however, thenumber be one madeup of less than four numerals, for example, No. 27, only the No. 2 tens key and the No. 7 units key are required to be depressed, and in this case the contact 13 provides a ground connection through contacts 5 to the naught points of both the thousands and hundreds point finders. The operation is the same as before except that in this case the thousands and hundreds point finders stop at and register the naught points, while the tens and units point finders are caused to register points 2 and 7 respectively. These latter point finders are prevented from stopping at their naught points by reason of the opening of the common contacts 5 in the tens and units series of keys.

In the operation just described, the stopping of the point finders in each case, occurs by reason of the energization of the test relay 8. The circuit for this relay may be traced from battery, through the test relay 8 and thence through the naught point of the point finder, provided the common contact 5 remains closed, and through contact 13 of relay 12 to ground. But if the contact 5 is opened, the circuit for the test relay is by way of some other point (1 to 9) of the point finder, and to the corresponding key of the series when that key is the one depressed. lVhen all of the point finders have arrived at their respective stopping positions, a circuit is closed by way of contact 15 of relay 12, through the four contacts 17 of the four test relays 8, in series, and thence through the relay 18, which in turn closes a circuit by way of its contact 19 through each of the key-releasing magnets 6. The operation of these magnets restores the key plungers, rendering the keyboard available for another operation, but leaving the number indication, which had previously recorded on the keyboard, registered on the point finder mechanism. The point finders may by suitable mechanism be caused to control the operation of the switches in a semi-automatic telephone exchange system.

What is claimed is: l

1. The combination with anuniber key board comprising a plurality of series of point designating keys, each'series representing several numerals and naught, of point finding registers one for each series of keys, means for controlling said registers'to find points designated by actuated numeral keys and to find the point represented by the naught designation in each series provided no numeral key in that series is actuated. y

2'. Incombination, a plurality of variously designated contacts, a switch movable/into a plurality of positions designated in accordance with the designation of said contacts, actuating means for said contacts, means responsive to the actuation of any one of said contacts for moving the switch into a position designated by the actuated contacts, and separate means formoving said switch into a certain one of said positions.

3. In combination, an electromagnetic switch, a starting and a stopping circuit therefor, means for simultaneously closing said circuits, a series of contacts, means responsive to the actuation of any one of said contacts for rendering said stopping circuit ineffective, and means under the joint control of said switch and the actuated contact for rendering said stopping circuit effective.

4. A series of contacts, a normally inactive switch having a plurality of operating positions, means for actuating one of said cont-acts, means operative thereupon for moving said switch into a certain position, and means operative provided none of said contacts is actuated for moving said switch into said certain position. A

5. In combination, a switch having a plurality of operating positions, means for actuating said switch, a plurality of contacts,

means for arresting said switch in certain operating positions depending on. the conwas a) tact actuated, and separate means for arresting said switch in one of said certain opcrating positions.

of point finders one for each series, a common controlling device for the point finders, a connection rom said device to special points, and means for rendering said connection ineffective as to eachseries in which a point is selected.

7. A series of keys controlling electrical 1 points, a point finder, acontrolling device therefor, a connection from said device to a special point, means controlledin common by said keys for rendering said connection ineffective.

8. A plurality of series of keys controlling electricalpoints, a normally inactive point finder mechanism, a controlling device therefor, a connection from said device to a special point in each series, and means for ren dering said connection ineffective as to each series in which a key is actuated.

9. A series of keys controllin electrical points, one of said keys representing naught, a point finder, a controlling device therefor, a connection from said device to the point controlled by the naught key, and means controlled in common by said keys for rendering said connection ineffective.

10. A plurality of series of keys controlling electrical points, one of said keys in each series representing naught, point finder mechanism, a controlling device therefor, a connection from said controlling device to the points controlled by the naught keys, and

means for each series of keys controlled in common by the keys of that series for rendering said connection ineffective with respect to the naught point thereof.

11. A series of keys, a register operable in accordance with any actuated key, a starting device for said register, a connection from said device to a special key in the series, and means controlled in common by said keys for rendering said connection inefiective.

12. A plurality of series of keys, a register for each series operable in accordance with any actuated key thereof, a starting device for said registers, a connection from said device to a special key in each series, and means for rendering said connection ineffective as to each series in which a key is actuated.

13. A plurality of series of numeral keys, one of said keys in each series representing naught, a register for each series operable in accordance with any actuated key thereof, a starting device for said registers, a connection from said device to the naught key of each series, and means for each series controlled in common by the keys thereof for rendering said connection ineffective with respect to the naught point thereof.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 27th day of November, A. D. 1914:.

ALBEN E. LUNDELL.

Witnesses:

K. L. STAHL, E. EDLER.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

